At first I thought it would be a wonderful thing. I am not a very good speller, so when I found out there was a feature that automatically corrected your spelling I was delighted. I would no longer agonize over how to spell difficult words. It was everything I hoped for until I saw it in action. It evidently cannot tell if I am trying to write there, their, or they’re. I am not sure it knows the difference between prostate and prostrate. Now that difference sure can change what you meant to write. Missed you and messed you are different things, too (or is that to or two?). Thing or think. Weep or weed.

I realize that some of these issues are because I type too fast, I do not proofread, and I have clumsy fingers. But all I wanted was an application that would do the work for me, correct my mistakes, and make me appear smarter than I am. Well, none of that is working very well. However, I have found something where auto-correct is very helpful. I now blame it for everything. Any miscommunication is no longer my fault; something must have changed what I wrote. So do not blame me. If it will not help me to appear more responsible, I will use it to avoid all responsibility.

It makes me wonder if that is not how some people wish the Christian life could be. How great would it be if Jesus would just auto-correct our life? We would not have to make any hard choices. There would not be any consequences for bad decisions or poor judgment. We would not have to make intentional decisions on how to live better, or to more closely follow Jesus. We could look more spiritual than we really are.

Or maybe we could use the concept of spiritual auto-check to avoid the hard choices. Just blame something or someone else when things do not go well in your spiritual life. Refuse to take responsibility for poor choices. Do not face up to the consequences of our actions. Practice a Christianity that requires nothing. Say the right things but avoid the hard struggle of really following in the steps of Jesus.

Auto-check spelling does not always work. Niether does auto-check life.
Except it does not work that way. To follow Jesus requires a conscious choice. It is to live life by transforming ourselves to be more like Jesus. It is to confess our bad decisions, and then act to change them. It is intentional living. If you would like to talk more about the intentional decision to follow Jesus, I would love to visit with you. Write me at steve@hopeforlife.org or join the blog discussion at www.hopeforlife.org.

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